Game apparatus



March `Z3 1926.

T. J. DUNNE GAME APPARATS Fired May 21, Lsas' 2 Sheets-Sheet l "Fill March 23 1926. 1,577,959

T. J. DUNNE GAME APPARATUS Filed May 2l, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 23, 1925i.

PATENT OFFICE.

kIIIIO'II-IY J. DUNNE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAME. APPARATUS.

application filed May 21, 1923..y serial No. 640,301.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, TIMOTHY J. DUNNE, a citizen of Ireland, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NeivYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates generally to games, having more particular reference to games of the type in which the players test their skill in throwing balls or like objects, the

invention having for an object the provision of a novel game of this sort, and further to embody the same in an apparatus which can be readily taken apart and assembled.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages Ythereof, reference will be had to the'f'ollowing description and accompanying draw.- ings, and tothe appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly setv forth. f

Fig. 1 of thel drawings is a face view of my improved game apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.y

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view of the receptacle for the thrown balls.

As here embodied my improved game apparatus comprises a knock-down frame on which are supported a number of figures,`

each 'holding a cup-like receptacle into which the player endeavors to throw a num-` ber of balls, means being provided whereby the balls are returned to the throwing position without the operator or players being required to individually remove the balls from the said receptacle.

As here shown the frame comprises a main front board or panel 10 to which are hinged a number of rectangular leg forming elements 11 which extend backwardly from the said panel. Extending parallel tothe panel 10, along the tops ofthese elements 11, is a platform 12 in the form of a removable board which sits on the said elements and which may have eyes 13 projecting therefrom and engaged by hooks 14 on the said elements wherebythe board is secured to the latter and they are maintained against swinging movement.

A number' of figures `or manikins 16 here 'top edge of the panel and carrying a cup like receptacle 17 having an outwardly flared, top, further reference to this receptacle being presently made,

Tol collect the thrown balls which fail to fall into the receptacle 171' provide an inclined net 2O which is stretched over a suit.- able frame element- 21 in front of the panel board. The frame element includes horizontal rods extending paralleltothe panel 1() and united at their ends by inclined rods, arms such as 22 being hinged' at. one end to the upper of the said horizontal members and having hooks 23 at their rear ends engaged with eyes. 24 on the panel 10, to sup,- poi-t the frame inv position. i

The balls falling onto the net 2O roll into a chute 25 in front of the panelwhose bottomand front wall are formed by boards hinged as indicated at 2.6 so as to be readily swung downward along the front of thev panel, the bottom longitudinal member of the net frame 2O being hinged to the front board of the chute by means of members 27. To prevent thrown balls from falling behind the panel a net 3,0 is stretched on a suitable frame hinged as at'l to the top of said panel, the net in clinging upwardly and rearwardly and resting at its upper edge against the breasts of the figures 16. The chute 25 is supported in normal posi-` tion by means of triangular members 3.3 hinged to the panel 10 and having fingers 34 on their free ends engaging in suitable openings in theI members 27.

The receptacle or cup 17 is of a capacity to receive. three balls, which are preferably ordinary baseballs, the inner diameter of' the body of the cup being slightly greater than that of the balls. Each cup is closed at the bottom by a downwardly swinging cap 40 which is hinged to one side of the cup as will be presently set forth. Formed on the opposite side of the cap is a projecting lip 42 which engages over the hooked lower end 434 of one arm of a bell crank lever 43 hinged as at 44 to the side of the cup 17,

the other arm oi" this lever carrying the armature l5 oi an electro-magnet 46 which is suitably supported on the side oi*u the cup. Projecting from the hinge element ot the cover Ll0 isy a tailpiece a0 against which a spring l? bears. rlhis spring is lined at one end to the cup, and is o't suihcient strength only to close the cover when the balls have been discharged but not oi siiiiicient strength to hinder the discharge by gravity ot the balls when the latch 43 is withdrawn.

In order to give a signal when two balls have been thrown into the cup a spring contact is tixed at one end in said cup in position to be engaged by the second bal resting in the'cup and moved against a fixed contact 5l in the side oi the cup. As will be understood the first ball thrown into the. cup will close these contacts only momentarily. I have also provided a means for giving a signal when a third ball enters the cup. To this end the cap l0 is hinged as at 52 to the plunger 53 of a dash pot 54 on the side of the cup, the top end of the plunger carrying a curve-d finger 55 which projects adjacent a. pair oi conta-cts 56 which are suitably carried by the cup, a spring 58 surrounding the plunger and urging the latter upward.

The strength ot' the spring 58 is sufficient to hold the plunger 53 against movement to close the contacts 56 while only one or two balls are in the cup, but not sui'iicient to hold the said plunger against the weight of three balls. The dash-pot 5a will act, as will be understood, to prevent the plunger 53 moving under the impact ot the balls dropping into the cup. The signals employed may be lamps as indicated at 65, or bells ii desired. To permit of the cups `being more easily seen at night the other arm oi each figure may carry an electric lamp 67 covered by a wire cage to arevent its being damaged by thrown balls. Likewise housings 68 may ,cover the magnet 4:6 and dash-pot 54.

In the use of the apparatus the player stands at a selected distance in iront of the same and is given three balls which he endeavors to throw into the cup, different 0 ksignals being given when two or three balls enter the cup. By pressing a switch suitable wired to all the magnets e6 the caps 40 can be released and the balls discharged, falling into the net 20 and from there passing to the -chute 25 which communicates at its lower end with another chute 68 leading forward to a desired point. I have here indicated the apparatus as arranged in right and left hand sections, the chute 25 oi each section leading downward toward one another to communicate with a common centrally placed return chute 68.

Vith the construction of parts as above set 'torth the apparatus can be readily dismantled, or knocked down as it is sometimes termed, and rfa-assembled. When the iigures 16 are removed from the board l2 the latter is taken oit' the leg-elements 1l and these are swung to lie along side the panel 10. The hooks 23 are then lifted from the eyes 24 and the net 20 swung forward to free the members 27 from the fingers 34, after which the net and the chute are folded against the panel, the top net 30 likewise folding down at the rear of the panel.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that- I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications might be made therein without departing from the spirit and'scope orl the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a game apparatus, a frame, a ball receiving device thereon, a ball chute comprising a bottom member hinged to the frame .and a side member hinged to `said bottom member, Vand a net located under the said ball receiving device and hinged at one side to the said side member` of the chute.

2. In a game apparatus, a frame, a ball receiving device thereon, a ball chute comprising a bottom member hinged toy the trame and a side member hinged to said bottom member, and a net located under the said ball receiving device and hinged at one side to the saidv side member of the chute,

and arms hinged to the said net at one endl and removably engaged with said frame at their other ends for holding the net in operative position. i

3. In a game apparatus, a receptacle adapted to receive a number of balls, an electrical contact member located in the receptacle in position to have another than the first ball entering the receptacle rest thereagainst, and a signal element connected to said contact member to be operated when a ball rests against the latter.

4. In a game apparatus, a receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of balls, a cap closing the lower end of the receptacle and connected at one side to said receptacle to have both swinging movement between open and closed positions and bodily movement in a vertical direction, a spring urging said cap in an upward direction and means for giving a signal when a selected number of balls have entered the receptacle, said means including a pair oi contact members adapted to be closed by downward movement of the said cap, and a signal element connected to said contact members.

5. In a game apparatus, a receptacle adapted to receive a number ot balls, a dashpot mounted on the side of said receptacle with its plunger depending vertically therefrom, a cap for closing the lower end of said receptacle hinged to said plunger, a spring urging seid plunger and cap upward e signal element, and a Contact member earred by said plunger and adapted to close a circuit through said signal element when a sufficient number of balls have entered the receptacle to overcome the said spring by pressure on the said cap.

In testimony whereof I have a-Hixed my signature.

TIMOTHY J. DUNNE. 

